The Future Of Cars With Game Changers, Presented By Sap

The buzz: “If I could wave a magic wand and entice young girls and diverse ethnicities to come racing to automotive and mobility because it is so very exciting and sexy, I’d do it tomorrow. We all need to work together as an industry.” (Carla Bailo, Center for Automotive Research) A global pandemic. Workforce generational transition and the resulting talent shortage. The arrival of next-gen mobility. Emerging new competitors. These disruptions and long-term trends are fundamentally reshaping the way work gets done in manufacturing, including at automotive companies. And they are impacting capabilities, processes, objectives and systems that enable positive employee experiences. How can employers ensure worker safety while investing in talent to ensure their skills are current and can tackle challenges including high-tech mobility? In our Season 6 opener, we’ll ask SAP’s Tom Madonna and Kerry Brown for their take on The Manufacturing Workforce: Thriving in a Changed World.

The buzz: “Countries that currently possess or are investing actively in the skills, capital, and infrastructure of the future are the ones that will dominate global manufacturing in the years ahead.” (www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2020/03/04) 2020 has been a year of unexpected major disruptions for industrial manufacturers, and more is expected in 2021. To weather the current and approaching storms, successful companies are doubling down on the digitalization of supply chains and manufacturing, and how they engage with customers. Will the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies – AI, advanced analytics, robotics, additive manufacturing – drive flexibility and resilience and help them manage growing cyber threats? What will the increased focus on sustainability mean? Will there still be a shortage of qualified workforce? We’ll ask IBM’s Valerie Clark, Omdia’s Fabio Raffo and SAP’s Patrick Lamm for their insights on The Future of Industrial Manufacturing in 2021 and Beyond.

The buzz: How has the crisis changed automotive decision-makers' thinking around preparedness, global integration, and handling the “unknown unknowns” of the global economy? https://car.live.ft.com From a global pandemic to major trade and manufacturing disruptions, 2020 is one of the automotive industry’s most unexpected and challenging years. Even in the Great Recession, automotive production lines never came to a full stop. Those in this industry now have a new appreciation for the frailty of international supply chains as well as the need to safeguard workers' health. What does the near-term future hold? Will the C.A.S.E. megatrends – Connected, Autonomous, Shared and Electric – still impact mobility? What new speed bumps, detours and potholes might be on the road ahead for this industry? We’ll ask Rick Varner and Bill Newman for their expert insights as they take stock and look ahead to 2021 and beyond.

The buzz: “Given the pace of change in the automotive space and related technologies, combined with increasing regulatory scrutiny and recent developments in trade and M&A, the global automotive industry can anticipate several risks and challenges…in 2019 and beyond…warranty, recall, and litigation risk for suppliers, connected cars and cybersecurity, intellectual property implications of autonomous vehicle technology…” jdsupra.com Mobility has undergone fundamental transformations in the past decade. From suppliers to OEMs, everyone in the landscape is confronting legal questions. While new technologies and business models hold great promise, they could run against current regulatory limits. How can automotive companies innovate confidently while protecting the businesses from legal scrutiny? We’ll ask Jennifer Dukarski at Butzel Long, and Mike Newell and Renee Stephens at We Predict for their take on Balancing Law and Innovation in the Automotive Industry in 2020 and Beyond.

The buzz: “The potential value unlocked by AI in helping design out waste in a circular economy for food is up to $127 billion a year in 2030…for consumer electronics is up to $90B a year in 2030.” mckinsey.com As industrial manufacturers begin or continue to embrace innovative technologies, important challenges emerge. What role does a commitment to sustainability play in their business decisions, especially in the current business climate? If they decide to contribute to the circular economy, how can they do it meaningfully? And how do they ensure they are using Artificial Intelligence applications ethically? Our panel will discuss these questions from multiple perspectives to discover the business case for embracing and embedding sustainable and ethical practices into the manufacturing process. We’ll ask Lian Jye Su at ABI Research, and Georg Kube and Elvira Wallis at SAP for their take on Manufacturing of the Future: The Central Role of Sustainability, AI and Ethics.

The buzz: “A new future is being written for the automotive industry. Companies which have spent decades perfecting the production of vehicles are now reinventing themselves as mobility services providers in favor of environmental sustainability. Old paradigms are not valid anymore, disruptions enforce the change: new technologies, sustainability needs, environmental regulations.” (capgemini.com) Yes, being an automotive supplier has never been more challenging. COVID-19 has disrupted business in a fundamental way – but it’s also accelerating long-running trends. Pressured by catastrophes, market forces and technological disruption, suppliers must navigate a minefield of issues. What major forces will shape the sector for the next five years? How can suppliers overcome present crises while being agile enough to seize the future? We’ll ask Michael Hessler at Capgemini and Rich Lindow at SAP what lies ahead in the next half-decade for automotive suppliers positioned for success.

“In 2018, manufacturers began the shift toward servitisation…from selling products to selling the outcome or value that products deliver and guaranteeing product uptime…The transformation process doesn’t happen overnight. However, the benefits of servitisation are incredibly attractive.” (supplychaindigital.com) Yes, industrial manufacturers were shifting towards new business models before the coronavirus global pandemic. But now it’s even more important to ensure the relationship with their customers does not end at the time of delivery. New business models that position industrial manufacturers as service providers are ensuring ongoing revenue streams, as well as a deeper and more profitable customer interaction. These models include active monitoring, predictive services and even pay-by-outcome services. Today, in this COVID-19 recovery time, we’ll ask Michael Larner at ABI Research and Ankit Sharma at SAP how manufacturers can embrace servitization as a key pillar of growth.

The buzz: “A shift toward customer-centricity seems like a no-brainer. Where the vast majority of manufacturers struggle is understanding what a customer-centric strategy means. To simplify the primary objective of moving to a customer-centric based strategy, manufactures should develop products, content, how-to videos, packaging and systems… for the end-user of the products and ultimately create a direct relationship with them” (dorngroup.com). Manufacturers increasingly need to focus on the end user and their experiences if they are to grow their business. Caring about the needs of customers has become even more important in the age of COVID-19. As the recovery begins, manufacturers need to discover customer intention and predict demand accurately. How to meet this daunting challenge? Form strategic partnerships to make this mission a reality. We’ll ask Ryan Martin at ABI Research and Gustavo Millan at SAP for their nsights on Making Customer-Centric Manufacturing A Reality.

The buzz: “Prof Kleinman identified public transport as one of the most challenging areas to manage in a post-coronavirus world” (itv.com). The world has changed – more and faster than usual in three months – and cities around the world are forced to adapt to new realities. How can the “smart city” model be effectively deployed to manage pandemics and other disruptions? Specifically, what implications does the present crisis have for future urban mobility and mass transportation? Our panel of experts will discuss the current and future status of technology-enabled cities in the age of Covid-19. The experts speak. Adam Lubinsky, WXY Studio: “Work and play are words used to describe the same thing under differing conditions” (Mark Twain). Senta Belay, SAP: “The secret was probably the appearance of fiction. Large numbers of strangers can cooperate successfully by believing in common myths” (Yuval Noah Harari). Join us for Smart Cities and Mobility in the Age of Covid-19 and Beyond.

The buzz: “Cloud computing is helping manufacturers to not just transform their supply chain, design and production processes, but also drive innovation, accelerate growth, and enhance the customer experience—all while lowering IT costs.” (percentotech.com) Manufacturers and component suppliers have myriad options when looking to move their IT systems to the cloud. Why? Software companies, hyper-scalers, and system integrators are changing their partnerships and collaboration models to provide a more holistic approach. Today, as we find ourselves in a time of extreme global disruption and business uncertainty, has this new approach of shared risk helped – or not? We’ll ask Dave Breaugh, Americas Manufacturing Lead at Microsoft, and Sayan Bose, Global Vice President of IMC for SAP, to share their insights on the good, the bad and the ugly. Join us for Manufacturers Moving to the Cloud: Sharing Risk During Disruptions.

The buzz: “New technologies and business models are unlocking what could be a trillion-dollar market…innovations in mobility are being matched and amplified by innovations in vehicle automation, sharing, and electrification” (Daniel Sperling, Three Revolutions). The mobility industry and the sustainability sector are converging powerfully. It’s cheaper to build net-new solar plants and wind farms than to fuel existing gas-fired power plants. And automakers are efficiently and cheaply producing high-performance electric vehicles. These intertwined forces are radically altering the economic logic underlying business decisions. What new mobility businesses will be possible? How can established automotive players, such as fleet managers, transition into this future? The experts speak: Colin Sutherland, EVP Sales and Marketing at Geotab and Tom Raftery, Global Vice President for SAP. Join us for From Fossil Fuels to Electrons: Future Trends in the Mobility Industry.

The buzz: A study by PWC and the Manufacturing Institute found that in 2016, women comprised 47% of the total US labor force, yet only 29% of the manufacturing sector. MAPI reported that the manufacturing sector employs fewer women and black workers now than 20 years ago. Despite stunning progress in factory-floor automation, men make up 71% of the manufacturing workforce, while their labor force participation rate is 53%. What steps must these companies take to entice the best and the brightest to work in Industry 4.0-enabled factories while diversifying their workforce? The experts speak. Ellen Sasson, SAP: “Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are” (Marianne Williamson). Gary Nelson, SAP: “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift of God, which is why we call it the present” (Bil Keane). Join us for The Future of Talent and Diversity for Mobility and Manufacturing.

The buzz: “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards” (Søren Kierkegaard). As we close 2019, we look back on the ongoing transformation that has become pervasive across the automotive industry. Our series has covered The Automotive Enterprise’s Intelligent Future: Optimize for Today, Innovate for Tomorrow; The Key to Automotive Industry Disruption: Become Customer-Obsessed; Automotive Industry Challenges: Top of Mind IT; The Power of Diversity: Automotive and Manufacturing; Automotive Shifting: Seeking New Talent and Organizational Culture; Automotive Industry: Attracting Talent and Buyers Across Generations; Automotive Suppliers: Driving To The Cloud; Make vs Buy: Automotive Software Development; and CARS: Bridging Detroit and Silicon Valley. Now it’s time to look ahead to 2020 and what lies in store for cities, drivers, car manufacturers and transportation companies. We'll ask Senta Belay and Aswin Mannepalli about The Future of Mobility Unplugged.

The buzz: “From 2010 to 2016, [traffic] congestion rose in London by 14%, in Los Angeles by 36%, in New York by 30%, and in Beijing and Paris by 9%…Seamless mobility could be cleaner, more convenient, and more efficient than the status quo, accommodating up to 30% more traffic while cutting travel time by 10%.” (mckinsey.com). The private and public sectors want to develop innovative solutions to solve growing cities’ future mobility challenges. How? Apply intelligent technologies to tap into the collective knowledge of the ecosystem, bring together multi-disciplinary teams and harness diverse thinking through collaboration. The experts speak. Peter Siebert, MHP: “I like the sound a typewriter makes” (Paul Auster). Edina Sewell, SAP: “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page” (Saint Augustine). Cameron Rouse, SAP: “It's not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves” (Sir Edmund Hillary). Join us for Addressing Cities’ Future Mobility: Diversity and Collaboration.

The buzz: Wharton management professor John Paul McDuffie “believes the auto industry is dealing with a broader range of issues than he has encountered in the many years he has studied the industry.” (knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu). Reality check: Automotive companies must continue to sharpen core competencies while increasing the pace of innovation, to remain profitable in the new mobility ecosystem. Live from SAP’s Annual Best Practices for Automotive Conference, we’ll hear four industry experts’ perspectives on the initiatives and intelligent technologies that forward-looking companies are implementing to optimize processes today and navigate uncertainty to prepare for the future of transportation and mobility. Tune in to hear Bill Newman at SAP, Mike Latkovic at Capgemini, Clint Crook at Accenture and Lars Olson at SAP discuss The Automotive Enterprise’s Intelligent Future: Optimize for Today, Innovate for Tomorrow.

The buzz: “Wharton management professor John Paul McDuffie believes the auto industry is dealing with a broader range of issues than he has encountered in the many years he has studied the industry” (knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu). Yes, automotive companies face steep competition from existing players and new entrants. They also need to walk a fine line balancing time and money spent on their existing IT infrastructure and future technology needs, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning and how to manage increasing amounts of data. The experts speak: Rick Booms, Eventful Conferences: “Absorb what is useful, discard what is not, add what is uniquely your own” (Bruce Lee). Judy Cubiss, SAP: “Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes Turn and face the strange” (David Bowie). William Newman, SAP: “If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done” (Thomas Jefferson). Join us for Automotive Industry Challenges: Top of Mind IT.

The buzz: “Diversity is crucial to innovation in the atomotive industry” (fierceelectronics.com). While awareness of the competitive advantage of diversity is growing, McKinsey’s 2018 “Delivering on Diversity” showed that although “gender and ethnic diversity are clearly correlated with profitability, women and minorities remain unrepresented.” This is especially true in automotive and manufacturing companies. Hopeful news: Daughters of Rosie “helps women get hands-on jobs where they can grow” in these industries. The experts speak. Danielle Applestone, Daughters of Rosie: “This being human is a guest house. Every morning is a new arrival…Welcome and entertain them all” (Rumi). Joe Barkai, Industry Analyst: “The trouble with the world is not that people know too little; it’s that they know so many things that just aren’t so” (Mark Twain). Margot C. Goodson, SAP: “I’m every woman, it’s all in me” (Chaka Khan). Join us for The Power of Diversity: Automotive and Manufacturing.

The buzz: “Reconceiving the car as a highly personalized and powerful digital device…calls for educating, developing and rewarding young engineers who think differently” (PwC). Fortune’s 100 Best Places to Work (2018) did NOT include any traditional automakers or automotive suppliers, while many technology and Silicon Valley-based companies ranked high. Surprised? With the growing integration of the automotive and tech industries, automotive needs to attract and retain qualified talent. But how? The experts speak. Kristin Dziczek, CAR: “You may be a business man…But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.” (Bob Dylan). Ellen Sasson, SAP: “You can get everything in life you want if you will just help enough people get what they want” (Zig Ziglar). Kerry Brown, SAP: “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn” (A. Toffler). Join us for Automotive Shifting: Seeking New Talent and Organizational Culture.

The buzz: “Millennials are emerging as the future of the auto industry” (www.jazelauto.com). Every generation has its own approach to work, consumption, technology, and life in general – and to automotive. To remain relevant and strong, the industry needs new approaches to attract, maintain, and develop the younger workforce – and to attract a new generation of buyers with very different interests. Are OEMs aligned with this shift? Our Gen X, Y, and Z panelists will discuss, confirm, and perhaps debunk stereotypes of each generation’s behaviors and relationship with automotive. The experts speak. Judy Cubiss, SAP: “Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes Turn and face the strange” (David Bowie). Miranda LaBate, SAP: “To master a new technology – you have to play with it (Jordan Peterson). Aswin Mannepalli, SAP: “From success, you learn absolutely nothing. From failure and setbacks conclusions can be drawn” (Niki Lauda). Join us for Automotive Industry: Attracting Talent and Buyers Across Generations.

The buzz: “There's a lot more code in an automobile nowadays than there is in a cell phone or even in a plane” (Alan Baum). These are exciting and challenging times for automotive suppliers. With the growth in the autonomous, electric and shared mobility options, suppliers need to redesign their components and business models to address new trends in the market. What’s keeping them awake at night? How to improve performance, drive down systems costs, and improve quality, customer satisfaction, user experience, and employee retention. The answer? Drive to a fully integrated real-time system in the cloud. The experts speak. Mike Latkovic, Capgemini: “There’s no crying in baseball” (Mike Dugan). Judy Cubiss, SAP: “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently” (Henry Ford). Hagen Heubach, SAP: “You can’t plow a field simply by turning it over in your mind” (Gordon B. Hinckley). Join us for Automotive Suppliers: Driving To The Cloud at SAPPHIRE 2019.